24th annual Maine Beef Conference Dec. 7

    BANGOR — The Maine Beef Producers Association (MBPA) will hold its 24th annual Beef Conference titled “Keeping Your Herd Healthy,” Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor with registration at 8 a.m. and the program running from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

    This year, MBPA has joined forces with the Maine Grass Farmers Network (MGFN) to host the conference with sponsors University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Industry sponsors include Zinpro, Hilton Garden Inn, Pineland Farms Natural Meats, Cold Spring Ranch and Wellscroft Fence.
    Keynote speaker is Jeff Wheeler from Zinpro who will be talking about the importance of mineral nutrition to beef cattle health, reproduction and vaccination program.
    Other speakers include Walter Whitcomb, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; Dr. Simon Alexander, VMD, Exeter Veterinary Services; Cindy Kilgore, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, a livestock specialist; and Dr. Anne Licktenwalner, University of Maine Extension Veterinarian and Director of the Animal Diagnostic Lab.
    Non-member registration, including lunch is $60 for the first person from the farm and $40 for all others from that farm. Discounts for MGFN and MBPA association members are available, as well as a student rate.
    For registration details, contact Melissa Libby at 1-800-287-7170 in Maine or 581-2788 outside of Maine. Registration details are also posted at http://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/beef/